Concrete placer assembly

ABSTRACT

A concrete placer assembly is disclosed herein which includes a concrete receiving hopper and a pumping cylinder carried by a support. The support consists of a channel-shaped member that is attached to an intermediate portion of the cylinder with a pair of braces extending from opposite ends of the member and connected to the cylinder adjacent one end thereof. The hopper is supported by the opposite end of the cylinder and a pair of arms extending from the member and connected to the upper end of the hopper. The cylinder thus forms an integral part of the support which has wheels at opposite ends of the member to define a portable unit.

United States Patent [191 Taylor 1 1 CONCRETE PLACER ASSEMBLY [75]Inventor: Eugene D. Taylor, Kenosha, Wis.

[73] Assignee: J. 1. Case Company, Racine, Wis. [22] Filed: Sept. 20,1973 [21] Appl. No.: 399,103

[ 52] U.S. Cl 92/129, 417/900, 417/231 [51] Int. Cl. F04b 15/02, F04b11/00 [58] Field of Search 417/231, 519, 900, 454, 417/539; 92/129 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,640,629 6/1953 Thomson et a1.417/900 2,698,583 1/1955 House et al 417/231 2,957,430 10/1960 Naeff417/900 3,140,801 7/1964 De11iagatti.... 417/900 3,266,433 8/1966. Mason417/900 3,609,065 9/1971 Wilson 417/900 3,659,970 5/1972 McElroy 417/900Dec. 31, 1974 Primary ExaminerWilliam L. Freeh Attorney, Agent, orFirmDressler, Goldsmith,

Clement & Gordon, Ltd.

[57] ABSTRACT A concrete placer assembly is disclosed herein whichincludes a concrete receiving hopper and a pumping cylinder carried by asupport. The support consists of a channel-shaped member that isattached to an intermediate portion of the cylinder with a pair ofbraces extending from opposite ends of the member and con nected to thecylinder adjacent one end thereof. The hopper is supported by theopposite end of the cylin- 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED 1 74 sum10? 2 1 CONCRETE PLACER ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates generally to apparatus for conveying fluent materials,such as concrete.

With the recent emphasis on the use of concrete for high-rise buildingstructures, various concrete pumps have been proposed for transportingconcrete or a plastic mass to a level a considerable distance above theground.

One unit that has found a remarkable degree of com- 1 SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION The present invention contemplates a concrete placer assemblythat can be manufactured at a minimum cost and produce a sturdy unitthat can easily be transported by a vehicle, such as a truck.

The concrete placer assembly or pumping apparatus consists of a pumpingcylinder and a hopper for supplying concrete to the pumping cylinder.The hopper and pumping cylinder are connected to a support or frame thatincludes a channel member connected to an intermediate portion ofthe'cylinder with one end of the cylinder connected to a lower portionof the hopper while the upper portion of the hopper is supported by apair of arms rigidly secured to the member. The remainder of the supportconsists of first and second braces extending forwardly from the memberand connected to a free end of the pumping cylinder. The entire unit iscarried by a pair of wheels connected to the U-shaped or channel-shapedmember. With the support described above, the concrete pumping cylinderforms an integral part of the support and interconnects the support withthe hopper.

The support may also include a platform connected to the member andlocated above the cylinder for supporting an engine or other power unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is aperspective view of the concrete placer assembly;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the concrete placer with the power unitdeleted therefrom;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view as viewed generally along line 3-3of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view as viewed along line 44 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT While this invention issusceptible of embodiment in many different forms. there is shown in thedrawings and will herein be described in detail a preferred embodimentof the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure isto be considered as an exemplification of the principles of theinvention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodimentillustrated.

FIG. 1 of the drawings discloses a concrete placer assembly or pumpingapparatus, generally designated by the reference numeral 10. Concretepumping apparatus 10 consists of the pumping cylinder 12, a hopper 14for receiving concrete and delivering concrete to the cylinder and asupport 16 for the hopper and pumping cylinder as well as the power unitor engine 18.

According to the present invention, the support 16 is constructed sothat the pumping cylinder becomes an integral part of the support orstructure that carries th other partsof the unit.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, support 16 consists of a member 20 that haswheels 22 connected to opposite ends thereof (see FIG. 1). The member 20is channelshaped in cross section and has a base 24 with a pair of legs26 extending from the opposite edges of base 24.

other and are transversely spaced from each other by- I a dimension thatis substantially equal to the diameter of the pumping portion ofcylinder 12. One leg of each channel is secured, as by welding, toelongate member 20 so that the channels and elongate member cooperate todefine a cylinder receiving cradle.

The intermediate portion of the cylinder is received into the cradle andis fixedly secured therein by a pair of straps 34 connected to one legof each channel through bolts 36. If desired, the forward portions ofchannels 32 that extend beyond elongate member 20 may be furtherrigidified by. a suitable support 38 welded to the lower legs of thechannels.

The pumping cylinder 12 may be of the type disclosed in Schaible PatentNo. RE 27,534 which consists of a delivery line 40 having an open endconnected to an opening in the lower end of hopper l4 through'a suitableconnector 42. A power or fluid ram 44 may consist of a conventionalfluid ram that has its piston rod extending into delivery line 40 with apiston connected to the end of the piston rod.

The piston rod (not shown) is reciprocated between opposite extremepositions by supplying fluid to opposite ends of ram 44 through conduits45. n

The remainder of the support 16 consists of first and second braces 46and 48 that each have one end secured to one leg 26 of intermediatemember 20 at opposite ends thereof. The opposite ends of braces 46 and48 have extensions 50 that extend forwardly beyond the free end of powerram 44 with a hitch element or means 52 secured to the forward ends ofthe extensions. The extensions are secured directly to the cylinderadjacent the free end thereof through a bracket 54 so that the pumpingunit or cylinder 12 forms a major component of the support 16. A jack 56may be used to hold hitch 52 above the ground.

As indicated above, the forward open end of pumping cylinder 40 isconnected to an opening in the lower end of forward wall that forms partof hopper 14. This connection provides part of the support for hopper 14I I on intermediate member 20. The additional support for hopper 14 isprovided by brace means 60 between intermediate member 20 and the upperend of hopper l4. Brace means 60 consists of one or more plates 62having mounting pads 64 secured to opposite ends thereof.

One mounting pad for each brace means 60 is secured to one leg 26 ofmember 20 through bolts 66 while the opposite mounting pads are securedto the vertical wall forming part of hopper 14 adjacent the upper endthereof by bolts 68. Thus, the hopper is cantilevered on the trailingend of the support or trailer 16 by two arms extendingfrom intermediatemember 20 adjacent opposite ends thereof and connector 42. Thisarrangement considerably simplifies the removal of the hopper should theneed arise.

The remainder of the concrete placer assembly is similar tothat shownandclaimed in co-pending application Ser. No. 398,203 for concrete pumpingapparatus filed Sept. I7, 1973. This apparatus consists of a shuttlevalve 70 that is located in hopper l4 and has one end or an outlet end72 connected directly to a delivery line 74 through sleeve 76. Sleeve 76provides the coupling between shuttle valve 30 and delivery line 74while still allowing for rotating movement of the shuttle valve aboutthe axis of delivery line 74. The shuttle valve is moved between firstand second positions by a pumping cylinder 12 is in communication withhopper '14 for receiving concrete while the fluid ram 44 is fluid ram 78so that in one position, the open end of port that forms part of aconcrete pumping apparatus. The support or trailer has a minimum numberof inexpensive parts and the working elements of the pumping apparatus,i.e. the concrete pumping cylinder 12 and hopper 14 can readily beremoved in a matter of minutes by merely removing several bolts andsleeve 42.

I claim:

1. Concrete pumping-apparatus including an elongate pumping cylinder, aconcrete receiving hopper, and a support, said support comprising anelongate member having wheels at opposite ends; clamp means connectingan intermediate portion of said cylinder directly to an intermediateportion of said member with said cylinder extending substantiallyperpendicular to said elongated member; connecting means connecting anopen end of said cylinder-to said hopper; brace means having one endconnected to said member and an opposite end connected to said hopperfirst and second elongate braces, said braces each having one endconnected to said member adjacent respective ends of said member, saidbraces having opposite ends connected to said cylinder adjacent the freeend thereof so that said cylinder forms a major part of said support.

2. Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim 1,

in which said support includes a platform connected to said member andlocated above said cylinder for supporting an engine.

3. Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which saidmember is substantially channel-shaped in cross section and has a baseand a pair of legs and in which said cylinder is connected to said base.

4. Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which saidcylinder is centered between opposite ends of said member) 5. Concretepumping apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including hitch meansconnected to said opposite ends of said braces.

1. Concrete pumping apparatus including an elongate pumping cylinder, aconcrete receiving hopper, and a support, said support comprising anelongate member having wheels at opposite ends; clamp means connectingan intermediate portion of said cylinder directly to an intermediateportion of said member with said cylinder extending substantiallyperpendicular to said elongated member; connecting means connecting anopen end of said cylinder to said hopper; brace means having one endconnected to said member and an opposite end connected to said hopper;first and second elongate braces, said braces each having one endconnected to said member adjacent respective ends of said member, saidbraces having opposite ends connected to said cylinder adjacent the freeend thereof so that said cylinder forms a major part of said support. 2.Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said supportincludes a platform connected to said member and located above saidcylinder for supporting an engine.
 3. Concrete pumping apparatus asdefined in claim 1, in which said member is substantially channel-shapedin cross section and has a base and a pair of legs and in which saidcylinder is connected to said base.
 4. Concrete pumping apparatus asdefined in claim 1, in which said cylinder is centered between oppositeends of said member.
 5. Concrete pumping apparatus as defined in claim1, further including hitch means connected to said opposite ends of saidbraces.